The wooing of Jet Blue continues

Almost six weeks after JetBlue executives came to Worcester, city and state officials will return the favor, traveling to New York City Monday for private conversations with the airline.

Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray's official schedule for Monday has him in New York for a meeting with officials from the airline, which has expressed interest in potentially adding service from Worcester Regional Airport.

City officials and the Massachusetts Port Authority, which owns and operates the airport at a cost of $5 million a year, have been working to lure JetBlue since the collapse of Direct Air last year left the airport without passenger service.

Last week, MassPort approved a capital improvement plan that includes $32 million to install a Category 3 landing system at the airport.

JetBlue has said an upgraded landing system, which could take up to six years to complete, was desirable for it to serve the city.

Company officials, however, said the airline would not wait that long before making a decision on whether to begin service here.

Three JetBlue executives toured residential neighborhoods, research laboratories and corporate offices in the city in January. At a press conference during the visit, they announced the airline would likely make a decision on whether to expand here by year's end.

MassPort officials have said the airline was considering two flights a day, seven days a week to the Florida cities of Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, starting in 2014.

JetBlue officials confirmed the airline would start with leisure destinations before business ones.

JetBlue this week began service between Boston and Charleston, S.C.

The airline also ended service this week between Pittsburgh and New York City.